A million euros for a green cathedral; A temporary artwork with floors full of trees, shrubs and plants. It can be seen for two months in the Tilburg Spoorzone. Is it a green puppet show or a unique opportunity? Some political parties find the waste of tax money, others see it as an opportunity to put the city on the map.
The green cathedral becomes a copy of the Heuvelse Church in Tilburg. A ‘Green Sky Walk’ at the cathedral leads visitors to interactive exhibitions and art installations. Architect Winy Maas from Schijndel, known from, among others, the Rotterdam Market Hall, is the designer.
“It cannot be explained to the Tilburg people to spend so much tax money for a project of only two months,” says the largest opposition party LST, 50PLUS and Forum for Democracy. So they tried to get the plans off the table in the municipal meeting on Monday evening.
“It is decadent pride madness.”
Because it is a ‘green air castle’, says Hans Smolders van de LST. He compares the project with previous Tilburg failures such as the Adje Theater, a theater in the city center that cost a lot of money in preparation but never came. “Because of this decadent pride madness, the gap between citizens and politics only gets bigger.”
But many parties think differently. “We see opportunities,” says GroenLinks councilor Arne Kramer. D66 Schampers: “Want Tilburg Wil Tilburg? Or flourishing and bustling? ”
Councilor Frans van Aarle van Lokaal Tilburg is very enthusiastic: “This is an investment in an iconic attraction with international allure. Only the announcement already yielded international press. “
After the green cathedral can be seen for two months in the spring of 2026, the artwork will be demolished again. The remaining green is then spread over parks, squares and beds throughout the city. Smolders raises his questions: “That green is not or hardly survived after any replanting.”
“This ensures greening of the city.”
The municipality admits that it is possible that some plants will not survive. But according to the organization, you have to see the sustainability of the project broader: “If all goes well, a visit to the manifestation brings about awareness with which we activate visitors. That ensures the greening of this city.”
In the end, the city council voted for a large majority on Monday evening for the continuation of the plan.
